Anonymous billboard protest sign of land bill dissent
A new billboard on New Plymouth’s main street has a clear message about a controversial Taranaki land bill - but the people behind it are staying anonymous.
A giant advertisement reading ‘‘It started in Waitara, Let it end in Waitara, Return the stolen land’’ has recently popped up on Devon St West opposite The Mayfair.
It also shows an illustration of a Maori design underneath a group of soldiers, one of whom is on a horse.
The sign’s message would appear to relate to the landmark Waitara Land Bill currently before Parliament, where it waits on a report from the Maori Affairs Select Committee.
The land bill intends to settle long-standing issues around a number of plots of land confiscated from Te Atiawa and its two hapu, Otaraua and Manukorihi, 150 years ago by the Crown.
If passed, the bill would allow Waitara residents who own leasehold sections to buy the land they live on, effectively allowing up to 780 leasehold properties to become freehold, with 60 hectares of land to be given back to Te Atiawa.
Public hearings were held about the bill, which attracted 114 submissions.
Many of those submitters opposed the legislation. Iwi and hapu were among the most strident critics.
The billboard space is owned by nationwide advertising company Go Media, which leases out more than 10 spots throughout Taranaki.
Director of the company, Dean Shaw, was unable to divulge who was behind the six metre by three metre sign.
‘‘They specifically asked us not to disclose who they are,’’ he said.
The cost to have the billboard erected would have been any- where between $1000 and $2000 per month, Shaw said.
He thinks the space has only been leased for the one month.
Otaraua hapu spokesman Rawiri Doorbar said he did not know who was responsible for the billboard but said it was less about who ordered it and more about the message it carried.
It was clear-cut the directive was about the land which had been wrongfully taken and needed to be rightfully returned, he said.
‘‘It’s clear to me that that the person or persons who put this up are saying it’s about time someone did the right thing and returned the land,’’ he said.
Doorbar said iwi and hapu had been patient and law-abiding since the war finished but still there was no end and still the land had not been returned.
‘‘In fact everyone seems to be robbing the bank.’’
He said the sign’s picture depicted how the land was taken by the Crown from tangata whenua and while he recognised the art he couldn’t place the artist.
‘‘I found it quite exciting when I saw it,’’ he said.
After being postponed three times, the report from the select committee is due back July 28.